Oh, Santorini! How I miss your white-washed architecture, blue domes, bright pink blooms, charming towns, and crystal clear waters already. After editing a ton of photos and summing up my adventures, I thought I should share my definitive list of “must-dos” when visiting this magical island.
1) See the sunset in Oia
It is gorgeous and famous for a reason. But get there early to stake out your spot!
2) Rent a four-wheeler
So fun and a great way to get around the island (oh, and super affordable too).
3) Say hi to the donkeys in Fira
These donkeys are crazy, but cute. If you’re like me and feel bad riding them up the hill, you can walk down the path to the port (just keep an eye out for rouge donkeys and all the poop!) and ride the cable car back up to town.
4) Hike a trail
There are lots of trails on the island, but the best one is the hike from Fira to Oia (which you can read more about here).
5) Take a great picture of some iconic blue domes
You can read about my favorite blue-dome photo spot here. But these gorgeous blue domes dot the island, and searching them out is half the fun.
6) Explore a smaller more local town
I loved the little town of Pyrgos. So adorable and charming, and definitely less touristy and unspoiled than the more popular towns of Oia and Fira. I also explored Akrotiri and Firostefani.
7) Visit Red Beach
I am not a huge beach go-er, but Red Beach, thanks to its unique red color, was stunning and definitely worth a visit and a quick dip in the crystal-clear waters.
8) Take a boat tour around the island
This is one of the best ways to see the island and the circular “Caldera,” which formed when the area collapsed from a volcanic eruption. This volcanic event is what gave Santorini its present-day unique semi-cirluar shape. The entire area is a basically a collapsed ancient volcano!
9) Explore ancient Thera
The island of Santorini (or Thera as it was called) has a long (and important) history, which you can see and explore through the archeology museum in Fira or the ruins of the ancient city of Akrotiri.
10) Get lost in Oia
Oia was definitely my favorite town on the island. It is everything everyone says it will be — gorgeous and magical. The best way to explore its winding alleys and little nooks is to just let yourself get lost!
You can read about all of my adventures in Santorini here:
Postcards from Santorini Day 1
Postcards from Santorini Day 2
Postcards from Santorini Day 3
Postcards from Santorini Day 4
